NEWARK, Del., October 28, 2025 — Wilmington PharmaTech (“WPT”), a U.S.-based specialty contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO) focused on complex custom small molecule API, today announced the appointment of Kent Payne, Ph.D., as Managing Director and Board Member. Dr. Payne, an Operating Partner at Curewell Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity firm, joins WPT’s leadership team following Curewell’s recent investment in the company, and will work closely with WPT’s Founder and CEO Hui-Yin “Harry” Li, Ph.D., to accelerate the company’s growth strategy, including expanding manufacturing capacity and capabilities in the U.S.
Dr. Payne is a seasoned CEO and board member with extensive experience in building and leading pharmaceutical services organizations operating from discovery through commercialization. He has led teams delivering solutions across sterile, inhaled, oral, and topical dosage forms, as well as both small and large molecule programs. Most recently, Dr. Payne served as CEO of Aliri Bioanalysis, a leading specialty bioanalytical company. Prior to Aliri, he held CEO roles at BioDuro-Sundia, a global integrated CRDMO, and Socorro Pharmaceuticals, a developer of specialty generics. Dr. Payne and the Curewell Capital team have worked together for nearly two decades, including their shared tenure at Catalent, a leading global CDMO, where Curewell Partner Michael Dal Bello served on the Board of Directors.
“Wilmington PharmaTech has an impressive legacy of more than 22 years providing sophisticated solutions to complex chemistry challenges that ultimately save clients time and money, including rescuing projects where other manufacturers have difficulty,” said Dr. Payne. “I’ve known and admired Dr. Li for many years. The WPT team has a proven track record enabling API value and IP creation for clients, resulting in blockbuster commercial products and longstanding relationships of trust. I look forward to working closely with Dr. Li and the team to expand WPT’s capabilities and support strategic partnerships with biopharmaceutical innovators pursuing complex synthesis, accelerated scale-up, and commercial production.”
“Kent brings deep operational experience, commercial insight, and leadership that perfectly align with our next phase of growth,” said Dr. Li. “Together with Curewell Capital, we are accelerating our plans to expand our specialized U.S. development and manufacturing capacity and capabilities. This will enable us to better serve biopharmaceutical innovators seeking reliable U.S.-based partners with deep chemistry expertise and flexible manufacturing infrastructure, and to further our mission of helping advance innovative, life-changing therapies.”
Founded in 2003, Wilmington PharmaTech has been a trusted partner to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide, providing end-to-end solutions from complex synthesis and development through clinical and commercial production. Headquartered on a 54-acre campus in Delaware, WPT operates two state-of-the-art cGMP manufacturing facilities with dedicated high-potency API (HPAPI) suites and extensive analytical and process development capabilities, as well as a support facility in Suzhou, China.